Puckered Hearts

Chapter 25

•ADRIAN•

My heart pounds in my chest as I glide across the icy rink, the sharp blades of my skates cutting through the cold surface.

The tension in the air is palpable, the sound of sticks clashing and skates scraping echoing around me. It's hockey practice, and the pressure is on.

Coach's commands pierce through the intensity, guiding us through drills and plays. Every move is crucial, every shot is an opportunity to prove myself.

As the puck comes my way, I feel a surge of determination. The crowd of teammates and opponents blurs, and it's just me and the goal.

I wind up, the stick flexing under the force of my swing. The puck leaves my control, in a swift, calculated motion. Time seems to slow as I watch it sail through the air, a perfect trajectory.

The resounding thud as it hits the back of the net is a sweet release, a mix of relief and triumph.

I glance up to the top of the bleachers, where Coach stands. His stern expression cracks into a rare smile, and the applause of approval from him reverberates through the arena.

In that moment, the tension dissipates, replaced by a surge of pride. I've proven myself on the ice, earning the recognition that makes every grueling practice worthwhile.

"Nice one, Adrian!" Nate shouted from the other side of the rink and I gave him a thumbs up.

"Nate!" A familiar feminine voice called from above and I skated to a stop and looked up.

My brows immediately furrowed with confusion when I spotted Amy and Kaia standing at the top, Amy was waving her hand at Nate.

What the hell are they doing here?

I swiftly turned around and skated towards Nate, focusing my glare on him.

"The fuck are they doing here?" Nate's expression immediately softened while tearing his eyes away from the girls.

"Amy wanted to have skating lessons and asked for my help. I asked her to come by after practice today."

His response immediately irked me and I shot a glare at them, while they were making their way down the aisle to enter the ice rink.

"Really? Skating lessons?" I asked Nate again and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"That's what she said."

I quickly narrowed my eyes at him. "You're not trying to get with my sister are you?"

He chuckled. "C'mon dude, I would never. I'd be breaking bro code if I ever felt that way."

His answer didn't lessen the annoyance that was overwhelming me. I know Nate and I trust him.

It's Amy's ideas that I don't trust. She was obviously here because she likes Nate and she has done nothing but express that several times whenever they're together.

It's what pisses me off because no matter how many times I warned her, she'll never listen and will always do whatever she wants.

The other thing that had pissed me off, is the fact that Kaia was also here. I'm still not used to seeing her around more often after what happened that other night when I took her back to her dorm room.

The last thing I needed is to be constantly reminded about that awkward situation.

She has done nothing but taken over my brain ever since that night. I still can't get over it and I would do anything to erase that memory from my head.